Thanks - when you say "Change the entry for local host to another IP address in your network that would reply, such as your gateway...." - do you mean - change the entry in the HOSTS file?

In investigating this error on the internet I keep finding references to the DNS server being involved, but as a stand-alone PC, what is my DNS server- is it my router?

Also, is there some other place apart from the HOSTS file where the information for localhost IP address is kept? The reason I ask is that one of the sites I was reading about this on had some instructions for ensuring that the HOSTS file was processed (they were filling the HOSTS file with a huge list of internet sites and equivalent IP addresses), so that led me to assume that there is some other place that's visited first for localhost definition...

I even found a site that described my exact problem, and promised a solution if I joined up, but it would have cost me quite a bit of money to become a subscriber, and there was no guarentee that the solution would be right for me....

I am at work at the moment, so can't test this for another 6 hours or so, but I'll get back to you on the result when I can.

Thanks again
Chris